EasyJet should consider listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange in addition to London to attract more US investors, according to the budget airline’s founder.
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who set up EasyJet in 1994, told The Mail on Sunday that a New York listing could boost its value and bring it closer in size to rival Ryanair. The latter has a primary listing on the Irish stock market and one on Nasdaq.
‘Why would you object to a secondary listing on Nasdaq?’ the tycoon asked. ‘London hasn’t lost anything. You’re just attracting more shareholders from the States.
‘I often look at the value of Ryanair and wonder why it is higher than EasyJet.’
Ryanair is worth £19.6 billion, compared with EasyJet’s value of £4.2 billion.
Lagging behind: Ryanair is worth £19.6 billion, compared with EasyJet’s value of £4.2 billion
Haji-Ioannou, whose stake in the company is worth about £649 million, has previously been in conflict with the board over strategy.
He added that the decision would ultimately be one for EasyJet’s management team.
Holiday firm Tui last week became the latest in a string of companies to quit London after shareholders voted overwhelmingly to delist, leaving it with a single listing on the Frankfurt stock market in Germany.
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